Numerous throwing and catching toys exist which contain water-filled balloons that may burst to soak victim participants. One such toy in the marketplace is manufactured by Galoob Toys Inc and sold under the trademark “Splash Out”. This toy is apparently the subject of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,991,847 and 4,890,838 to Rudell et al.
The “Splash Out” is a hollow plastic ball which contains a replaceable water-filled balloon and a timer-activated balloon bursting mechanism. The bursting mechanism causes a prick to be extended into the balloon to burst the balloon and cause victim participants nearby to be splashed as the timer setting expires, which time is difficult for participants to predict. Participants play “catch” with the ball, knowing that the balloon will burst at some point in time, which is completely out of each participant's control. The object of the game is to avoid being a nearby participant at the moment that the balloon bursts.
Another such toy is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,456 to Liu et al. This toy is a hollow plastic housing having an integral inwardly-projecting prick. The housing contains a replaceable balloon, filled with water to cause the balloon to partially fill the interior of the housing without abutting the prick. Presumably, the user must precisely estimate the amount of water to fill into the balloon to avoid having it expand so large that it will abut the prick as it is inserted into the housing, which would cause it to immediately burst. The toy is then either thrown at or to a victim participant such that the continuing momentum of the balloon as the toy hits or is caught by a victim participant causes the balloon to abut the prick, thereby bursting the balloon and causing it to splash its water over the victim participant. Participants have essentially no control to avoid having the balloon burst as the toy is being caught or as it hits them.
Among the objects of the present disclosure is a throwing and catching toy containing a burstable water-filled balloon which allows catching participants some degree of control over the bursting of the balloon according to the manner in which they catch it.
Among the advantages of the present disclosure is that participants may increase skill with practice and decrease risk with dexterity and agility to catch the toy without bursting the balloon, and need not rely solely on chance to avoid being soaked by the bursting balloon. Also among the advantages of the present disclosure are both a simple means for replacing spent balloons and a simple and reliable means for filling new balloons with water.
Further objects and advantages will be apparent upon a review of the following description and drawings, which are intended to exemplify, but not limit the invention.